Rapid Reactions

Same Old Drug War, Dressed up as "Nontraditional Threat" From the Border

Response by Tom Barry

10-27-11

General Douglas Fraser, commander of U.S. Southern Command, joined the chorus of military and administration officials warning that the United States faces a "nontraditional threat" from the south in the form of “transnational organized crime” and declared, “We’re trying to move our defense further and further from our border.” Yet, this so-called nontraditional threat is not new at all. It’s just the same old drug war dressed up in the new language of transnational crime being promoted by the Obama administration in its newly released Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime.

U.S., One of Two in Favor of the UN General Assembly Embargo Against Cuba

Response by Wayne Smith

10-25-11

Today, the United States was again handed its annual total and embarrassing defeat in the UN General Assembly on the issue of its embargo against Cuba. The vote was 186 to condemn the embargo, two votes in its favor, the United States and Israel, and three abstentions. And the fact is that Israel is one of Cuba’s most active trading partners, i.e., it votes with us, but disagrees with and disregards our policy. On the issue of the Cuban embargo, then, the United States is totally isolated.

Obama's NSC Deputy for Strategic Communications Unnoticed Statement

Response by Harry Blaney

10-24-11

President Obama announced the withdrawal of American troops on the 21st of October with a statement focused on the specific elements of that action. However, his NSC Deputy for Strategic Communications made a comment, largely neglected by the press, posted on the White House web site that heralds a clear effort to distinguish Obama's new approach to global engagement. It appears to be a signal that we can expect new initiatives in the future and a major adjustments in our military strategy. We should hopefully see in the coming weeks a more detailed laying out of the “fundamental shift.”

The NSC Deputy for Strategic Communication said: “But this moment represents more than an accomplishment for the President. It marks a monumental change of focus for our military and a fundamental shift in the way that our nation will engage in the world.”

GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney: Increasing Military Spending

Response by Stephen Miles

10-13-11

Last week GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney unveiled his foreign policy and national security plan. The influence of his team of Bush-era foreign policy advisors was clearly evident in Gov. Romney's calls for increased military spending and rethinking the President's announced drawdown in Afghanistan. Gov. Romney's plan will only waste more precious blood and treasure on the failed policies of the past while failing to turn the page on a decade of war.

U.S. Troops in Iraq

Response by Stephen Miles

09-23-11

In a hearing yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen continued to put forth the lie that Iraqis want a continued US military presence after December 31, 2011. After intensive lobbying from the Pentagon, Iraq's political leaders reluctantly agreed to begin negotiating on the potential for future troop requests. While both the Iraqi and the American public continues to be overwhelmingly against any such violation of the 2008 Status of Forces Agreement, the Pentagon remains committed to pushing for an endless military presence in Iraq. It's time to put Bush's military adventure in Iraq to bed once and for all and bring home all US troops from Iraq as scheduled by the end of this year.

Obama's Decision to Extend Embargo on Cuba a Disappointment

Response by Wayne Smith

09-21-11

President Obama’s decision to extend the decades-old embargo on Cuba is unsurprising, but disappointing nonetheless. The continuation of the embargo seems to fly in the face of reason. Obama criticized Cuba as “a throwback to the 1960s.” The same could be said of U.S. policy.

$350 Billion Myth from the Budget Control Act

Response by Stephen Miles

09-12-11

Numerous reports have incorrectly repeated a White House myth that the Budget Control Act (“debt deal”) cut $350 Billion in defense spending as part of an initial round of spending caps. This figure is a three-times lie because 1) the proposed cap includes spending on Veterans, Homeland Security, and the State Department, not just the Pentagon; 2) the caps reflect a reduced rate of growth in spending, not true cuts which would reduce the actual level of defense spending; and 3) the “security” caps only exist for 2 years with the remaining 8 years simply estimates based on wishful thinking, not law.